Karen

A Closer Look at the New Too Faced Little Black Book of Bronzers and New Selfie Powders Palette [VIDEO]

March 17th, 2015 by Karen 9 Comments

But first, lemme take a selfie!

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And put on some bronzer… I can do both with these new products from Too Faced.

One is a miniature version of their ginormous Little Black Book of Bronzers, and the other is a palette with three face powders designed to create different lighting effects (think the Hourglass Ambients).

Power to the palettes! — especially ones that help you look cute in selfies. 🙂

As always, thank you for watching.

Products mentioned in this video:

Too Faced Little Black Book of Bronzers

Too Faced Selfie Powders palette

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

New $6.50 NYX High Definition Blush: On Days When My Face Is on the Oily End of the Sebaceous Spectrum, This Powder Blush Is a Dream

March 17th, 2015 by Karen 22 Comments

Wearing the new $6.50 NYX High Definition Blush in Baby Doll (and that’s NYX Intense Butter Gloss in Funnel Delight on mah lips)

The Curse of the Black Pearl is a freakin’ cakewalk compared to The Curse of Combination Skin (which I have). I mean, it’s not like I’m dealing with undead skeleton pirates or anything, but hella moody skin that alternates between bone dry and Oil Slick City comes with its own set of problems, man.

May I present to the court Exhibit A: the new $6.50 NYX High Definition Blushes.

On days when my face is on the oily end of the sebaceous spectrum, this powder blush is SUCH a dream (they’re just $6.50 each). When I wear it, my cheeks look like I just found out that I won the lottery, and subsequently told my curmudgeonly feline boss to suck it — all that naturally glowing lit-from-within jazz that comes with telling someone off or doing a vigorous wop to Push It or, I dunno, making out with your knee (Ha! That’s how I used to practice kissing…).

And then there’s the soft, smooth powders, which feel like fairy dust and blend like powdered sugar; the cray-cray amount of pigment; and the 8-hour wear time — hot dayum! — which all add up to placing these on the cusp of legendary drugstore makeup status.

NYX High Definition Blush in Coraline — High Definition Blush in Coraline

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Can I Just Say Again How Much I Like These NYX Intense Butter Glosses? [VIDEO]

March 16th, 2015 by Karen 15 Comments

Right now, the only thing I want on my lips more than these new NYX Intense Butter Glosses ($6 each) is actual whole cream butter.

Mmm, butter…

These are hands-down my favorite drugstore glosses of the moment. They’re a great deal for $6.

Just a quick Monday video. As always, thank you for watching.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Little Black Book of Bronzers Bronzer Collection by Too Faced Cosmetics: If You Like Bronzer, This Book Has All the Right Contacts

March 16th, 2015 by Karen 22 Comments

The last time Too Faced released a Little Black Book of Bronzers, it was HUGE!

No, literally, it was huge… The palette (or, as Too Faced refers to it, the “bronzing wardrobe”) held eight full-size Too Faced Bronzers, which was very cool if you were/are into the whole “bigger is better” aesthetic, and also very cool if you ever dreamed of owning a palette so gigantic that it could cover half of your body.

This time around, the sequel to The Little Black Book of Bronzers is sleek.

Ish. Sleek-ish.

It’s basically the same idea, except that the pans are smaller this time (0.08 ounces each, instead of 0.28), and the price is too ($49 vs. $139)

So, while you may lose the ability to use it as an improv table for TV dinners or breakfast in bed, and it no longer functions as an umbrella with which to shield yourself from the sun while lounging on the beach with Zac Efron…it’s a lot easier to tote around.

Plus, you know what they say: “Good things come in small packages.” If the original was an oversized coffee table book, this one is the paperback.

Too Faced also tweaked the lineup a little, swapping Bronzed and Poreless for Dark Chocolate Soleil, their newest shade.

Other than that, there’s a good variety of shimmery finishes and mattes, and none of them are excessively warm or orange.

The Little Black Book of Bronzers Bronzer Collection with a full-size Too Faced Bronzer pan for scale — With a full-size Too Faced Bronzer pan for scale…

With eight bronzers, there’s one to go with every mood, outfit and moment in yo’ life. Like, have you ever wondered what bronzer to wear to go to your ex’s house to pick up those Biggie CDs that homeboy never had the decency to return?

Well, how about deep shimmery bronzed Beach Bunny? — because you’d want to recreate a glow that says, “Hey, fool. Ever since we broke up, I spend every Sunday by the pool at the Four Seasons with my new billionaire boyfriend.”

Ya know, that kind of thing. 🙂

The Little Black Book of Bronzers Bronzer Collection with an iPhone 6 plus for scale — With an iPhone 6 Plus for scale…

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Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll, Vol. 364

March 16th, 2015 by Karen 33 Comments

The Makeup and Beauty Blog Monday Poll for March 16, 2015

You might be wondering, “So what in tarnation is this Monday Poll thing anyway!?”

Well, it isn’t exactly a poll. It’s more of a constantly evolving (devolving?), somewhat random list of questions I’ve been putting out to readers every Monday morning for the past seven years. (It’s like a kickstart for your brain.) I’ve always enjoyed reading your answers in the comments, and I hope you enjoy reading mine.

In a world where you had to dye your hair an extravagant color (think the Capitol in The Hunger Games), what color would it be?
This one’s easy. 🙂 Pale pink. Super light pale pink, like cotton candy pink.

And if I were feeling extra sassy, I’d do a mint green streak right across my side-swept bangs. A fat mint green streak.

If we really did live in the Capitol from The Hunger Games…I would find a way to get glitter-tipped ends. Some days it would be gold glitter or silver glitter, and some days it would be teal glitter.

If you could be a clothing designer for a day, what would you design for yourself?

Definitely a trench coat, because I’ve had a really hard time finding one that fits me correctly (I’m only 5’1″). They’re either too long — like the arms are too long, or the coat is too long, and it overtakes me, and I look like I’m wearing my mom’s coat — or there are too many buttons and buckles and things happening in the front.

If you were to make and sell something on Etsy, what would it be?
Custom couture cat harnesses with Swarovski crystals.

What’s your number one rule for using social media?
My number one rule is to step away from the keyboard when I’m feeling heated (read: p*ssed off). That, and always making sure I’m using the correct “your.” Y-o-u-r, or y-o-u-‘-r-e.

Long story…

What’s a career you think you might like to try in your life?
Hmm… Well, being an astronaut is probably out of the question at this point, but I might like to try being a young adult author, or maybe a broadcaster for some kind of goofy show…

Or a food photographer.

Your turn. 🙂 Just copy and paste the following questions into a comment with your answers. I look forward to reading ’em!

1. In a world where you had to dye your hair an extravagant color (think the Capitol in The Hunger Games), what color would it be?
2. If you could be a clothing designer for a day, what would you design for yourself?

3. If you were to make and sell something on Etsy, what would it be?
4. What’s your number one rule for using social media?
5. What’s a career you think you might like to try in your life?

Good morning! 🙂

So I started doing this thing every morning that I really enjoy. I don’t know if I’ve told you about it yet, but when I first wake up, I do a few minutes of morning meditation in bed.

I use this app called buddhify on my phone, and it doesn’t take long. Some of the exercises are 5 minutes (you just follow along with the speaker, and they all have wonderfully soothing voices), and some of them are 8 minutes. They’re a great way to start the day and get out of bed on the right foot — especially on Mondays when I’m not super fired up.

In other news, I’m almost done with my second cup of tea right now and thinking about having a third. 🙂

Hope you have a good day today, and have a great week.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sundays With Tabs the Cat, Makeup and Beauty Blog Mascot, Vol. 338

March 15th, 2015 by Karen 16 Comments

The hills of Novato are safer now that the new tabby command center/cat enclosure is fully operational. Cats can rest easier knowing that Tabs the cat is on patrol. 🙂

Here’s a closer look at the construction and the materials to build one for your feline employer.

Materials

El Hub uses a circular saw

a regular hand saw

need a drill for this

safety glasses

2 in. x 2 in. boards (we used pine, but cedar and redwood are also great) for the main frame.
1 in. x 6 in. boards for the walkways.
Enough 2-1/2 in. phillips head outdoor rated wood screws to attach the 2 in. x 2 in. boards (a box of 50 should be more than enough for this enclosure)
Staple gun
Glue gun
A section of remnant carpeting (you can usually find a remnant carpet store in your town that will sell small rolls of 5 or 6 feet of leftover carpeting for $15-$20. You could also use a soft fabric from a fabric store or artificial grass.
A box cutter for the carpet
A roll of 1 in. chicken wire (also called poultry netting)
Wire cutters (for the chicken wire)
Wood glue (not necessary, but El Hub says it helps to reinforce the screws)
A gate latch and 2 door hinges

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Comment to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora! (Ends Monday)

March 14th, 2015 by Karen 427 Comments

** THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED **
This giveaway is closed, and the winner has been contacted (CONGRATULATIONS, STORMY!!!), but check back next Saturday for another Sephora giveaway.

Someone’s a sleepy sheepy this morning. Zzzz…

Rise and shine, morning glory! I was just getting some nice “mommy and toygy time” (pronounced: toy-ɡē) in bed, which is what I call it when Tabs lavishes me with lurvies, but now it’s time to get up. After all, someone’s gotta man the tabby command center’s first watch and make sure that none of the neighborhood cats are invading the property.

In other news, we may drive out to the East Bay today to visit my parents and hit up a couple of furniture stores. I desperately need some kind of storage cabinet and a new bedroom dresser. The drawers on mine don’t even close anymore (and it’s so annoying).

I hope it’s sunny where you are, my friend. 🙂 Good luck in the giveaway, and I’ll talk to you soon.

One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).

Enter by leaving a comment below.
Open to U.S. and international readers.
You must be 18 or older to enter (or otherwise an adult based on your local laws).
Your comment can be about anything at all, but here are some ideas if you’re stuck:
- Do you watch Face Off?
- When was the last time you took a class for something, and what was the class about?
- To the best of your knowledge, have you ever climbed a tree?
- What’s one makeup trend you wish would just go away already?
- Do you hang out with any of your coworkers outside of work?
- What color are your bath towels?
One entry per person.
You must use a valid email address to win.
The giveaway ends on Monday, March 16, 2015 at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Few Bestselling MAC Eyeshadows and Lipsticks to Consider [VIDEO]

March 13th, 2015 by Karen 16 Comments

It never hurts to be prepared! Should you have a sudden MAC attack this weekend (it happens), consider one of these eyeshadow or lipstick shades, which were recommended by the MAC artists at my favorite Nordie’s MAC counter at The Village at Corte Madera, California.

As always, thank you for watching.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen